Computer software exists for many applications. Suites of office applications, by Microsoft, Lotus, Corel and others, are available for use with computers and are often bundled with the sale of a computer. Such office suites generally include software for word processing, graphic, spreadsheet and database applications. In Microsoft Office, these computer programs include Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Access.
In general, an office suite includes two types of computer programs. A first type of software includes word processing and graphic programs, which allow a user to enter information and present it in a visually pleasing manner. Typically, such programs allow a user to present information in a variety of forms without extensive training or specialized knowledge of the software program. These programs, though, are limited to providing data formatting functions and do not permit analysis of the data entered. A second type of software includes spreadsheet and database programs, which allow a user to enter information that may be analyzed. While this type of software permits the creation of lists, reports, charts, tables, graphs and other forms of output, the use of such programs generally requires training and specialized knowledge of the software program.
In summary, neither word processing programs nor database programs provide a means for a novice computer user to enter, manage, and analyze information on a computer system using a natural user interface. On the one hand, word processing programs provide a way to present information in a visually pleasing manner, but do not allow a user to do something with the information other than view it. On the other hand, database programs allow information to be analyzed, but require special training to make them useful. When a novice computer user wants to start from an empty canvas, and identify and analyze information, he or she still reaches for a pen and pad of paper. Even experienced computer users reach for a pen and pad of paper when they first commence thinking about a problem, but have not yet generated or identified enough information to make worthwhile the creation of a spreadsheet or database.
When using pen and paper, many have turned to the concept of a semantic network to organize their thoughts. A semantic network is a knowledge representation paradigm that has been the subject of research in artificial intelligence since the 1960's. The idea is that knowledge consists of objects and their relationships to each other. The objects are represented by nodes and the relationships are represented by labeled arcs between the nodes. On paper, semantic network are often represented as a number of data-containing nodes as objects, with labeled arcs linking related nodes.
As an alternative to traditional word processing and database programs, there have been prior attempts to provide computer software for the creation of semantic networks. The computer software product known as InfoCentral, which was first marketed by WordPerfect, is one such attempt. In the InfoCentral product, a user creates what is known in that program as an "intelligence base" or "iBase" for a certain topic. To build an iBase, a user first selects the "add" function to add an object to the iBase. The user then enters the name of the object and is prompted for a category to which to assign the object. Default categories include person, organization, place and event. The user then adds additional objects to the iBase. After there are at least two objects in an iBase, the user may add connections between objects using the "connect" function. The user may define connection types or select from default connection types. For example, an employee connection could be used to connect a person and an organization, or a friend connection could be used to connect two people. After data has been entered, the InfoCentral product provides limited features for viewing the data and creating files related to the data for use with other computer software programs.
The InfoCentral product is limited in at least five significant respects. First, the natural feeling of pen and paper is totally absent from the InfoCentral user interface. Instead of allowing the user to enter information on a blank window, "add" and "connect" buttons, which call separate pop-up text windows, are used to enter object names, object types, and connection types. Second, a user must know something about his or her topic before using the software program. In an InfoCentral iBase, a user is prevented from entering information without also assigning relationship information at its time of entry, because each object must be assigned an object category and each connection a connection type at the time such information is entered. Third, the InfoCentral product displays information in a controlled and rigid format. InfoCentral does not allow a user to organize information contained in a semantic network into summary list boxes and tables with the click of a mouse button. Fourth, because InfoCentral does not have the ability to display information in list boxes and tables, it is not possible to query such data structures to provide an information management system. Fifth, InfoCentral does not permit arcs in a semantic network to be used as sources or destinations for new arcs. Rather, InfoCentral follows strict rules for the creation of semantic networks in which arcs may only be used to connect nodes.